Electrochemical Control of Bacterial Biofilms

Bacterial biofilms are structured communities of cells encased in extracellular polymeric substances that adhere to diverse surfaces and exhibit heightened resistance to antibiotics and disinfectants. Electrochemical approaches offer precise control over biofilm viability by generating biocidal species or modulating local electric fields to disrupt matrix integrity, enhance antibiotic penetration and target dormant persister cells. Strategies encompass direct electric currents, alternating potentials and specialised electrode materials that catalyse in situ production of reactive chemicals or pH gradients. Advances in material science have enabled bespoke electrodes and electroactive coatings capable of delivering controlled currents or creating microenvironments hostile to biofilms, with applications spanning clinical wound dressings, implant coatings, industrial antifouling and water treatment.

At the interface of biology and electrochemistry, detailed studies have elucidated mechanisms such as electrolysis-driven generation of hypochlorous acid, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals, as well as induced membrane permeabilisation and local acidification. Integrating electrochemical treatments with conventional therapies—such as antibiotics or antiseptics—has demonstrated synergistic effects, leading to more efficient biofilm eradication and suppression of resistance emergence. The practicality of these methods is underpinned by developments in low-power devices, wearable formats and scalable electrode arrays, paving the way for real-world deployment in healthcare, marine infrastructure and food processing industries.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of electroceutical wound dressings employing silver-based electrodes to treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Using an in vitro agar model with bioluminescent reporter strains, researchers achieved sustained antimicrobial activity up to two days after current cessation, accompanied by multi-log reductions in viability. Ultrastructural analysis revealed disrupted cell walls and extracellular matrix collapse, implicating electrochemically generated hypochlorous acid as the principal biocidal agent. Further work has shown that combining electrochemical treatment with antibiotics eradicates resistant subpopulations and prevents emergence of tobramycin-resistant variants, achieving consistent log-scale biofilm reductions under both ambient and physiological temperatures.

Electrochemical Control of Bacterial Biofilms publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electrochemical control of bacterial biofilms across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Biofilm: A structured community of microbial cells embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix attached to a surface.

Electroceutical: A therapeutic approach that employs controlled electrical currents to produce antimicrobial biochemical effects.

Direct electric current (DC): A unidirectional flow of electric charge used to generate reactive species at electrode surfaces.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive oxygen-derived molecules, such as hydroxyl radicals, that damage cellular components.

Electrochemical scaffold (e-scaffold): An electrode system designed to generate specific chemical species, such as hydrogen peroxide, to disrupt biofilms.

References

1. Bacterial Biofilm Inhibition: A Focused Review on Recent Therapeutic Strategies for Combating the Biofilm Mediated Infections. Frontiers in Microbiology (2021).
2. Eradication of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and persister cells using an electrochemical scaffold and enhanced antibiotic susceptibility. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes (2016).
3. Direct Electric Current Treatment under Physiologic Saline Conditions Kills Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilms via Electrolytic Generation of Hypochlorous Acid. PLOS ONE (2013).
4. Exposure of Bacterial Biofilms to Electrical Current Leads to Cell Death Mediated in Part by Reactive Oxygen Species. PLOS ONE (2016).
5. Electroactive Smart Materials: Novel Tools for Tailoring Bacteria Behavior and Fight Antimicrobial Resistance. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (2019).
6. Physical Approaches to Prevent and Treat Bacterial Biofilm. Antibiotics (2022).
7. Electroceutical Treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. Scientific Reports (2019).
8. Ultrastructure imaging of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lawn biofilms and eradication of the tobramycin-resistant variants under in vitro electroceutical treatment. Scientific Reports (2020).
9. Effect of Low Amperage Electric Current on Staphylococcus Aureus—Strategy for Combating Bacterial Biofilms Formation on Dental Implants in Cystic Fibrosis Patients, In Vitro Study. Materials (2021).